Transmutations
Transmutations are alterations to the nature of beings in Magnaorbis. While they can manifest physically, they differ from synth tech in that they fundamentally change the nature of the being. They are aetherium based, though they appear to have relation to other, unknown factors created by Omorthan Sheol in order to differ conditions in Magnaorbis from previous and future experiments of his. The nature of transmutations renders them exclusive; a person affected by one cannot become affected by another (although sanguinars can be transformed into dhampirs). Those gifted or afflicted (depending on one's perspective) with transmutations are called transmutants. Transmutations are not biologically inheritable. Sanguinarism Sanguinarism is, in laymen terms, vampirism. Those affected by it are biologically immortal, incapable of dying of age and unable to become anything more than carriers of disease. Sanguinars, as they are called, are gifted with eternal youth, with even those already greatly aged returning to their biological prime within a short time of becoming a sanguinar. The transmutation is most often acquired through a special bite given by a pre-existing sanguinar, though it can be picked up from normal sanguinar bites (though it is very rare) and can be acquired through dedicated service and willingly offering oneself to a vaguely defined force of blood known outside of Magnaorbis as Cruor. Sanginars enjoy effective night senses, seeing like a non-affected but having an additional sense that allows them to perceive their environment as if it were well light. During the day, however, they are somewhat less perceptive, with even their natural vision becoming slightly blurry unless in a dark location. Sanguinars also must feed or they will succumb to thirst and dissolve into ash. Sanginars are also not completely immortal beyond thirst, being capable of being slain through normal means with no increased difficulty. Sanguinars are also at the mercy of terrible nightmares caused by Cruor, and hearing the voices of Cruor commanding them to commit murders and other bloody sacrifices in its name. Many of the weaker ones eventually submit or go mad trying to resist, though some have been strong enough to remain sane in their resistance, and a group smaller still has broken its connection with Cruor. Dhampirism Dhampirism in Magnaorbis is similar to the Terran concept of dhampirism, though it is still markedly different and is not attained in the same manner. Dhampirs are created, rather, from sanguinars who plead to the Lord of Tears, the god Gerzam, for deliverance from sanguinarism and the hunger of Cruor, at the cost of the ability to feel more than fleeting happiness and feeling the tinge of eternal regret, and from both sanguinars and non-transmutants that prove themselves worthy to Gerzam, being granted the nature of a dhampir without the personal drawbacks of depression and regret. Dhampirs are biologically immortal, eternally youthful and unaffected by disease, like sanguinars, though also like them, they can be killed. Those made dhampirs but deemed unworthy by Gerzam are forced to feed upon the misery of others, while those considered worthy are not mandated to feed on the misery of others, though they are capable of it, and enjoy additional power when they have worked hard toward a goal. Dhampirs are not bound to the day/night cycle like sanguinars and thus do not enjoy their night powers or day drawbacks, instead being stronger in inclimate weather, with unworthy dhampirs being weakened by clear weather and worthy dhampirs merely not enjoying any additional power from the weather during it. In an ironic twist, many dhampirs, especially the unworthy, hunt sanguinars that are resisting Cruor, as aside from themselves, they tend to be the most naturally miserable and thus are prime, if not often easy, targets. Serpenthropy Serpenthropy is a transmuation that allows its affected, the serpentkin, to transform into anthropomorphic snake-lizards. Colloquially known as weresnakes, snakemen and lizardmen, the serpentkin are capable of transforming from their normal state into their serpent form at will and can control their actions in this form on all but one day of the year, never precisely known, known as the day of the serpents, where they randomly transform in and out of their sperpent form throughout the day and cannot control their actions during their time in serpent form. Unlike dhampirim or sanguinarism, which were found all across Magnaorbis, serpenthropy originated in Ismarch and was, while not affecting any more than 34% of its population in modern times (though it once affected a supermajority of its population), near totally confined to it until recent times, where it is now found throughout all of Magnaorbis, if extremely rarely beyond Ismarch and almost never in colder regions. Serpentkin have the advantage and disadvantage of being near completely unaffected by their transmutation outside of their serpent form. They do posses the ability to command snakes with prowess and other reptiles with a lesser, but still impressive, degree of control. Serpentkin are extremely strong in their serpent form, which appears to many as an anthropomorphic lizard with a toohy snake head, though are cold blooded in this form and subject to its benefits and drawbacks. They are not immortal and those with weaker hearts can die in the process of changing forms, though medical science has offset this issue considerable. Lichism Liches are undead beings. Unlike the undead servants that they resurrect, which are devoid of nearly any personality, Liches are very much a true person, though many of them lose or never had empathy in their life given the deeds required for their form. While the exist beyond magnaorbis and are created in other ways, most often serving the Voi'ahdrun willingly or by force, in magnaorbis they are free of such taints, but are not less capable of evil, though this is not a guaranteed trait of theirs either. Liches are created when a still living person captures and binds the soul of a person that loves them dearly to a pure rock of substantial aetherium and covers it with the blood of 27 innocents, including a minimum of 7 innocent children and a maximum of 13, with more (within the number range, as excess children creating too much instability for the future Lich and too few do not create enough power for the Lich to survive for more than moments) than 7 rendering the future Lich more powerful though more unstable, lights themselves on fire through non-subtantial aetherium. This tears a small hole in the Maelstrom, allowing the future Lich to then summon a small amount of its power (relative to the nature of their sacrifice as defined previously) and bind it to their soul, either their body or a body (or otherwise functional object) for the majority of their soul to inhabit (called the shell) and an object of their choice, which become their anchor, holding half of their of their soul creating an equilibrium that binds them. They then use non-substantial aetherium in conjunction with the power of the maelstrom itself to complete the transformation, which kills them but transforms them into a lich. Their body is initially intact, though it will decay as if it were dead (although if the Lich has a non-lich assistant, their body can be maintained through aetherium), with all movement and function being possible only because of aetherium and their continued presence in the shell being allowed due to the mutal binding of their soul alongside a fragment of the maelstrom to the shell and the anchor. Should they choose a non-organic shell, as has been increasingly done, this decay does not occur, and the shell itself, especially if automaton in basis, will not break down. Either way, their physical form can be destroyed, but will be perpetually able to reasemble itself. The only way to kill a lich is to destroy their anchor, which no matter what it is will always be exceedingly brittle and easy to shatter. In the event of this occurring, a Lich will not only die, but cease to exist beyond memory, their soul completely destroyed. Liches, while capable of existing openly within New Britannian Society's upper echelons, are also shunned by the populace, and while unkillable if their anchor cannot be found to be destroyed, are often physically detained when found. They are also physically weak, and because of the nature of their continued existence, are incapable of using non-subtantial aetherium. Additionally, if they repent their actions honestly and sufficiently, while their soul is not destroyed, they die and unless healed by the mercy of a benevolent god, they are perpetually weak in the afterlife. Liches, however, can be cured through intense aetherium based rituals, though the lich has to be willing for the ritual to work. Their origional body is recreated for them and they return to life as a mortal once more. This, however, has only occured a few times in history.